Fire truck



Dec. 29,1942. J. M. MADDEN I FIRE, TRUCK Filed April 3, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 29, 1942. pN I 2,306,453

FIRE TRUCK Filed April 3, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 29, 1942.

J. M. MADDE'NQ FIRE TRUCK Filed A ril 5, 1941 3 Shets-Sheet 3 5 E HR a der 22, having rungs 23, comprises a unitary portion of the ladder structure 20, and a plurality of fly-ladders 24, 25 and 26 are extensibly mounted within the structure. The ladder structure 20 is conventional and, except in this particular form of my invention, is mounted in a substantially conventional manner. However, in

this form of my invention, the ladders per se are mounted adjacent the top of the ladder structure, when the structure is in inoperative position, whereas the ladders in the usual structure are carried at the bottom of the structure. The reason for this reversal of position will be apparent as the description proceeds.

As a feature of my invention a plate or panel 21 is secured to the ladder structure 20 adjacent the ladder 22, and functions as a closure for the space provided by the side walls of the trailer. When the ladder structure 23 is in inoperative position, the panel 21 completely closes the compartment l3 thereby protecting the ladder structure and ladders from the elements.

Adjacent the front end of the trailer 2, the turntable l8 and forward end of the ladder structure are covered by a hood 28. The hood 28 comprises two sections 29 and 30 respectively hinged at 3| and 32 to the body of the trailer. When the ladder structure is in inoperative position, the hood 2B is closed, as shown in Figs. land 3 in full lines, and in dotted lines in Fig. 4. The forward end of compartment I3 is closed by a stationary panel 33.

A pair of shafts 34 and 35 project from the front end of th trailer 2 and are adapted to be rotated by any suitable connection to the tractor engine, said shafts rotating in opposite angular directions. An arm 36 is rigidly secured to shaft 34 and a similar arm 31 is rigidly secured to shaft 35. construction and carry, in telescopic relation, arms 38 and 39 respectively. The ends of arms 38 and 39 are respectively, pivotally connected to sections 29 and 30 of hood 28, as shown best at 40 and 4| in-Figs. 3 and 4. The hood section 29 comprises panels 42, 43 and 44 which are hinged together at 45 and 45. Similarly, hood section 30 comprises panels 41, 48 and 49, hinged together at 50 and I In operation, to open the hood 28 to expose the forward end of the ladder structure 20 and the turntable l8,shafts 34 and 35 are respectively rotated in counterclockwise and clockwise directions respectively (Figs. 3 and 4). When shafts 34 and 35 are so rotated the respective panels comprising each hood section break about the hinges 45, 46, 53, 5|, and 3| and 32. Of course, as the arms 36 and 31 move, the points 40 and 4| assume different distances from shafts 34 and 35. This movement is accommodated by the slidable relationship of arms 36 and 38, and arms 31 and 39. To close the hood, the shafts 34 and 35 rotate in the opposite directions, that is, shaft 34 rotates clockwise and shaft 35 rotates counterclockwise until the hood sections are in the position shown in Fig. 3, the telescopic arms functioning to provide different radii as the hinges close. When the hood is in open position, the hood sections overhang the rear fender of the tractor and provide ready access to, and free movement, of, the ladder structure.

As has been hereinbefore described the ladder structure is pivotally mounted upon supports 2| upon turntable I8. To raise the ladder structure to the vertical position from its inoperative position, a pair of hydraulic lifts are employed.

Both arms 36 and 31 are of hollow The hydraulic lifts comprise cylinders 52 and 53, both of which are pivotally mounted upon turntable I8, one on each side of the ladder structure and rearwardly of the supports 2|. Piston rods 54 and 55 operate within cylinders 52 and 53 respectively, the ends of said rods being pivotally connected in a pair of transverse slots 56, one of which is shown, provided in the opposite sides of the ladder structure.

In operation, when the ladder structure is in inoperative position within the trailer 2, the cylinders 52 and 53 are in substantially vertical position upon truntable l8, as shown at Fig. 5 in broken lines. In this position the pistons are at the bottoms of the cylinders and the ends of the piston'rods are at the upper ends of slots 56. The cylinders 52 and 53 are connected to a suitable source of fluid under pressure, and when it is desired to raise the ladder structure from its inoperative position, fluid under pressure is introduced into the lower portions of said cylinders. The movement of the piston rods, of course, cause the ladder structure to swing about the supports 2| until the vertical position is reached.

A second pair of hydraulic cylinders 51 and 58 are pivotally mounted upon the turntable l8, the piston rods 59 and 60 respectively being pivotally connected to the ladder structure in slots 3|, one of which is shown, which are substantially parallel to slots 56. Cylinders 51 and 58 are mounted in advance of the supports 2| and serve to control the ladder structure when it has moved beyond the vertical position, as shown in full lines in Fig. 5. When the ladder structure is in inoperative position the piston rods 60 and cylinders 51 and 58 are in a position as indicated in broken lines in Fig. 5.

The disposition and length of slots 5| with respect to slots 56 is such that when piston rods 54 and 55 have raised the ladder structure to the vertical position, piston rods 60 are at the ends of slots 5| and, hence, by controlling the withdrawal of liquid from cylinders 51 and 58, the ladder structure may be brought to a desired angular position beyond the vertical. When the ladder structure has moved beyond the vertical, the ends of rods 54 and 55 move freely through slots 56, as shown best in Fig. 5.

The aerial ladder 20 is used only in its position beyond the vertical which accounts for the fact that the ladders 22, 24, 25 and 26 are at the top of the structure when the same is in inoperative position. .Of course, by the provision of the turntable I8, after moving the ladder structure beyond the vertical it may be swung to any desired position and the fly ladders may be extended as occasion demands.

When the ladder structure is moved to inoperative position, the reverse operation of the hy-. draulic lifts takes place and the ladder structure together with its attached closure 21 moves into the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The hood 28 may then be closed.

It is to be understood, of course, that conventional remote controls are contemplated. For instance shafts 34 and 35, cylinders 52, 53, 51 and 58 and turntable shaft I9 may be controlled from either or both cabs 3 and 1 or controls may be positioned at any other desired portion of the vehicle. 2

In addition to providing a completely enclosed ladder structure, provision is also made for housing all of the men of the fire company. Further, with the tiller man positioned in the cab 1.

rather than on top of the ladder structure, as has heretofore been thecase, the la-dderstructure may be raised more quickly. As a matter of fact it is possible to start raising the aerial lad! der before the vehicle comes to a stop. Of

course, duplicate manual control of the hood 28.-

62 is devoted to the housing of an aerial ladder 64 which is similar in all essential details to the aerial ladder ll hereinbefore described. The

, ladder 64 comprises a ladder structure 55 which carries a fixed ladder 66 which carries a plurality of extensible fly-ladders El, 68' and S9. The ladder structure 65 is pivotally mounted at its forward end, upon supports lii.which, in turn, are mounted upon a turntable ll.

A pair of hydraulic lifting cylinders 12 are pivotally mounted'upon the turntable H, said cylinders having cooperating pistons and piston rods it which are connected to opposite sides of the ladder structure 65 in slots similar to slots 56. The relationship of cylinder 12. to the ladder structure 65 is identical with the relation ship of cylinders 52 and 53 to the ladder structure 29, and. they function in a similar manner. In this form of my invention, however, only one pair of cylinders is employed, since it is not necessary to move theaerial ladder beyond the vertical position, Hence, the fly-ladders are disposed at the bottom of the ladder structure 65 when the ladder is in inoperative position.

In this form of my invention the body portion of the trailer comprises opposite side walls M and I and a partition 76 which divides the interior thereof into compartments l1 and T8. The upper portion of the walls M and converge and the terminal edges thereof are spaced from each other to provide a passageway for the raising of the ladder 64.

As a feature of my invention a closure 79 spans the space between the edges of the walls 14 and 15. The closure 19 comprises two elongated panels 89 and 8! which are adapted to abut adjacent longitudinal edges when they are in closed position.

A wall 82 is positioned at the front end of the rear cab 63, in which a pair of slots 83 are pro-* vided, said slots sloping outwardly and downwardly from the central-top portion of the wall. At the rear end of the panels 89 and 8!, outwardly extending pins are provided which carry rollers 84 which project into said slots, said rollers being positioned adjacent the abutting edges of said panels.

A pair of shafts 85 and 86, which are pref- In operation, to open. the closurev l9, shafts 9t and 92 are respectively rotated in clockwise and counterclockwise direction (Fig. 10). In so rotating panels Bil and 8| are moved outwardly,

. the adjacent longitudinal edges being'guided by the grooves or slots. 83, until the panels occupy a position as shown in broken lines in Fig. 10.. When in this position the aerial ladder may be moved from its inoperative position within the trailer body. r

In order to prevent deflection of the panels and BI along their length when they are in closed. position, the outer longitudinal edges carry roll-' ers'91 at spaced points along the length of the trailer body. Curved tracks 98 are carried by the sides l4 and 15 of the trailer body in which said rollers are supported, the tracks terminating adjacent the terminal edges of said side walls. The tracks 98, of course, are spaced along the length of the trailer body in conformity with the position of the rollers 91.

It will be noted. that the outer longitudinal edges of the panels 3% and are beveled,.as shown: at 3 in Figs. 10 and 11, and at the lower portion of each bevel, a lip N10 is formed. The lips Hill carry the rollers 91, and when said panels are in. closed position the outer edges of the panels aresuspended from the tracks 98 thereby preventing said panels from deflecting. When the panels are opened the outer edges of the panels are guided by the tracks 98 in a downwardly curved direction, the arrangement being such that the panels can be moved to open position without interference from the ladder structure Toprovide support forv the abuttingv edges of I the panels, spacing blocks Ill! are carried, at

spaced, points along the length of the panels,

which rest upon the ladder structure when the wish to be limited to the specific mechanism herein described for raising or lowering the aerial ladder or for moving the panels and hood, since my invention is broadly directed to a completely closed fire truck with means for moving an aerial ladder therefrom.

I claim as my invention:

1. A fire truck for carrying an aerial ladder which comprises, a vehicle body having a compartment therein, a horizontal turntable positioned in said compartment, an aerial ladder positioned in said compartment and pivotally connected at one end to said turntable for movement in a vertical plane, said compartment adjacent said turntable being defined by a removable hood, means for moving said hood to expose said turntable and the portion of the ladder secured thereto, the remaining portion of said' body being provided with an elongated opening above said ladder, a removable closure for said opening, and means for moving said ladder in a vertical plane through said opening about its pivotal support when said closure has been removed.

2. A fire truck for carrying an aerial ladder which comprises, a vehicle body having a compartment therein, an aerial ladder positioned in said compartment and pivotally supported on said body adjacent an end thereof for swingable movement in a vertical plane, said body having an elongated opening above said ladder, a closure for said opening carried by said ladder for closing said opening when the ladder is in said compartment, and means for lifting said ladder and closure from said compartment in a vertical plane about said pivotal support.

3. A fire truck for carrying an aerial ladder which comprises, a vehicle body having a compartment therein, an aerial ladder positioned in said compartment and pivotallysupported on said body adjacent an end thereof for swingable movement in a vertical plane, said body having an elongated opening above said ladder, a closure for said opening carried by said ladder for closing said opening when the ladder is in said compartment, and hydraulic means for lifting said ladder and closure from said compartment in a vertical plane about said pivotal support.

4. A fire truck for carrying an aerial ladder which comprises, a Vehicle body having a compartment therein, an aerial ladder positioned in said compartment and pivotally supported on said body adjacent an end thereof for swingable movement in a vertical plane, said body having an elongated opening above said ladder, a closure for said opening carried by said ladder for closing said opening when the ladder is in said compartment, and means for lifting said ladder and closure from said compartment in a vertical plane about said pivotal support and positioning said ladder at an angle greater than ninety degrees from its position within said compartment.

5. A fire truck for carrying an aerial ladder which comprises, a vehicle body having a compartment therein, a turntable horizontally positioned in said compartment, an aerial ladder positioned in said compartment and pivotally supported at one end on said turntable for swingable movement in a horizontal and vertical plane, said body having an elongated opening above said ladder, a closure for said opening carried by said ladder for closing said opening when the ladder is in said compartment, and means for lifting said ladder and closure from said compartment in a vertical plane about said pivotal support.

6. A fire truck for carrying an aerial ladder which comprises, a vehicle body having a compartment therein, an aerial ladder longitudinally positioned in said compartment and pivotally supported adjacent one end in said compartment, said body having an elongated opening at its top, a removable ciosure for said opening, said closure comprising two elongated panels, means for moving said panels transversely to a position within said body to expose said ladder, and means for lifting said ladder through said opening about its pivotal support when said panels have been moved to open position.

'7. A fire truck for carrying an aerial ladder which comprises, a vehicle body having a compartment therein, an aerial ladder longitudinally positioned in said compartment and pivotally supported adjacent one end in said compartment, siad body having. an elongated opening at its top, a removable closure for said opening, said closure comprising two elongated panels, means for moving said panels transversely to a position within said body to expose said ladder, means for guiding said panels during movement thereof, and means for lifting said ladder through said opening about its pivotal support when said panels have been moved to open position.

JOHN M. MADDEN. 

